Safety side



E. H. MAYER July 24, 1962 SAFETY SIDE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 6,1960 lllllllll Him; Mi F. L mfi W E. H. MAYER SAFETY SIDE July 24, 1962Filed April 6, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I m u m m n a United States PatentOfifice 4 amass Patented July 24, 1962 3,045,259 SAFETY SIDE Edwin H.Mayer, Racine, Wis., assignor to Simmons Company; New York, N.Y., acorporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 6, 1960, Ser. No. 20,386 Claims. (Cl.5331) Carried by the end part 25 of each of the sections 23 is amounting saddle 27.

In the illustrated construction, each saddle 27 is fabricated of asingle piece of sheet metal formed into U-shape to provide an arch oryoke 29 and a pair of wings 31 between which the end bows 25 of theguard panel 21 are pivotally mounted on an axially horizontal pivot-pin33 extending between the wings. The saddle wings 31 have substantialvertical length, and are spaced to provide a comfortable or free slidingfit with the connected end part 25 of the guard panel. This spacing, incooperation with the vertical length of the Wings 31, is effective toprevent shaking of the guard panel 21 about an axis extending its raisedposition to its lowered position, as well as mainthis general type dueto the necessity of providing clearance between relatively sliding partsat widely-spaced, opposite ends of the panel. The safety side of theinvention thus provides substantially noise-free operation andcontrolled movement between its several positions.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a safety sidewhich is quiet in use, irrespective of the amount of care exercised inits operation.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a safety sidehaving an improved saddle for carrying the guard panel thereof instabilized and restrained vertical movement along the side of a bed.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of a safetyside in which the ends are capable of independent vertical movement andare stabilized to prevent noise in, and during movement between, all ofits several positions. Other objects and advantages of the inventionwill become apparent from the following description and the accompanyingdrawings of a specific embodiment of the invention in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational'view, with parts broken away, of thesafety side mounted on a bed;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged side view, partially broken away, showing ingreater detail the mounting of the guard panel of the safety side;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 of FIGURE 2; 3

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view, partially broken away, takenalong line 44 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 55 of FIGURE 1and partially broken away to provide a clearer view of certain parts;and

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the leaf spring used for braking andquieting of the safety side.

Referring to the drawings, FIGURE 1 shows a safety side 11 mounted on abed structure 13 ofgenerally con.- ventional construction includingfront end and rear end frames 15 and 17 Each of the end frames 15 and 17includes corner posts '19.

The safety side 11 includes a guard or side panel 21 which can befabricated in various ways. One' particu larly desirable construction isfully described in United States Patent No. 2,032,781, which issued May8, 1962, and is assigned to the assignee of this invention. Nothingdisclosed in that is intended to be claimed in this application. Thisconstruction includes a pair of sections 23 telescopically joinedtogether to facilitate positioning of the guard panel 21 in either of araised, storage, or diagonally disposed half-guard positions. Thesesections 23 at their outer ends have integral cross pieces or bows 25.

longitudinally thereof between the saddles 27.

The arch 29 of each of the mounting saddles preferably includes twointegral vertically spaced inturned or retroverted portions or yokes 35which provide, together with the unretroverted portions or yokes 36 ofthe arch 29, a formation 37 of vertically spaced and alternatelyoppositely disposed semi-circular sections or yokes adapted for slidablyencompassing an upright guide rod 39, which guide rod is part of themeans for mounting the safety side 11 on the bed structure 13, and ispreferably generally square or rectangular in cross-section.

This mounting means at each end of the safety side 11 also includes amounting bar 41 having upper and lower brackets 43 and 45 supporting theguide rod 39. In this connection, the lower end of the guide rod 39extends into a rubber bumper 47 seated in the bracket 45 for cushioningengagement with the bottom of the mounting saddle 27. Thus, as thesaddle approaches dead bottom, its descent is silently arrested byresilient engagement with the bumper 47.

The connection of the upper bracket 43 with the upright guide rod 39 isdetachable to permit initial assembly of the mounting saddle 27 inencompassing relation to the guide rod 39 and to enable subsequentdisassembly for any. reason. Specifically, the bracket 43 and the guiderod 39 are interconnected by a cap 49 including a stud 51 which ispassable through an opening in the bracket 43 and into the upper end ofthe guide rod 39. Fixed assembly of the cap stud 51 in the upper end ofthe guide rod 39' is provided by asuitable pin 53.

Attachment of the mounting bars 41 to the bed structure 13 isfacilitated by inwardly extending upper and lower lugs 55 and 57 whichare engageable with mounting studs on the corner posts 19. Specifically,each of the upper. lugs 55 includes a notch 61 which extends upwardlyfrom its lower surface and is engageable over a headed stud 63 toinitially hang the mounting bar 41 on the bed structure 13. Each lowerlug 57 includes a notch (not shown) which is directed inwardly from itsouter end and is engageable in partially encircling relation with athreaded stud 67 when the lower end of the mounting bar 41 is swungabout the upper headed stud 63 and into parallel relation to the cornerpost 19'. A hand nut 69 is employed to tighten the lower lug 57 to thecorner post, thereby securing the mounting bar 4-1 and guide rod 39 incorrect vertical position for operably supporting the safety side 11.

Retention of the guard panel 21 in raised position can be provided byvarious means. One particularly desirable construction includes adownwardly inclined ear 71 extending from the lower end of the saddlearch 29', and a detent carried by the adjacent mounting bar 41. As shownparticularly in FIGURES .2 and 4, the detent comprises a latch 73 whichis biased by a spring 74 toward the guide rod 39 and includes a handle75 permitting withdrawal of the latch from engagement with the. ear 71when it is desired to lower the side panel.

The latch 73 also incorporates an inclined edge 77 which is camminglyengaged by the inclined ear 71 dur- (3 ing upward saddle movement andthereby moved outwardly until the bottom of the ear 71 is raised abovethe latch 73, whereupon the latch is returned inwardly to- 'ward theguide rod 39 in position for engagement with the bottom edge of the ear71 to support the adjacent end of the guard panel 21.

The descent of the guard panel 21 by gravity, when released, is retardedby a leaf spring 79 which is formed from a strip of suitable springmetal. The leaf spring includes a central arched portion 81 and a pairof upper and lower ears 83 and 85 spaced apart so as to engage the upperand lower edges of the inturned arch portions 35 to thereby dispose thespring 79 lengthwise within the formation 37, with the arched portion 31extending inwardly thereof in frictional operating engagement with oneside of the guide rod 39. This engagement also results in snugengagement of the unretroverted yokes or arch portions 36 with theadjacent corners of the upright guide rod 39, thereby minimizing anytendency on the part of the saddle 27 to shake relative to the guiderod, and at the same time, providing additional frictional opposition tofree fall. Preferably, a nylon button 85 is inserted in the center ofthe spring 79 to decrease noise and wear.

When the safety side 11 is mounted along the side of a bed, the guardpanel 21 can be moved to its raised po sition by simply elevating it,the latches 73 being auto matically displaced and then returned to theirside panel supporting positions.

Lowering of either end of the guard panel 15 is simply accomplished bywithdrawing the latch 73 to permit restrained gravity fall of theadjacent end part of the guard panel. As pointed out, the frictiondeveloped between the arched portion 81 of the spring 79 in contact withthe guide rod 39 causes retarded lowering of the mounting saddle 27,thereby avoiding any noise or rattle during descent. In addition, therubber bumper 47 also acts to soften the arrival of the mounting saddle25 at dead bottom, thereby further contributing to quiet operation ofthe device.

Rattling of the safety side 11 during movement between its positions andparticularly upon its arrival at dead bottom is also prevented by theconstant pressure between the guide rods 39 and the saddles 27 caused bythe biasing action of the springs 7 9, and by the stabilizing effectresulting from the depth of vertical engagement between the end parts 25of the guard panel 15 and the spaced end parts 25 of the guard panel 15and the spaced saddle wings 31.

Of course, various advantages of the invention can be realized withsafety sides other than that disclosed. Various features of theinvention are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A safety side for a bed having spaced head and foot end frames,comprising a vertical guide rod adapted to be secured to one of saidframes at one corner of the bed, a saddle adapted to slide on said guiderod, and having a pair of horizontally spaced vertical wings extendingtowards the other end frame, a vertically spaced outer yoke portionextending between and connecting said pair of wings on one side of saidguide rod, and an opposing inner yoke portion connecting said wings anddisposed on the opposite side of said guide rod, a side panel having oneend supported by said saddle and having at said end a part positionedbetween said wings with a comfortable fit and pivoted on said saddle ona horizontal axis, the other end of said panel being adapted to besupported by the other end frame.

2. A safety side for a bed having spaced head and foot end frames,comprising a'vertical guide rod adapted to be secured to one of saidframes at one corner of the bed, a saddle adapted to slide on said guiderod, and having a pair of horizontally spaced vertical wings extendingtowards the other end frame, a vertically spaced outer yoke portionextending between and connecting the pair of wings on one side of saidguide rod, and an opposing inner yoke portion connecting said wings anddisposed on the opposite side of said guide rod, a side panel having oneend supported by said saddle and having at said end a part positionedbetween said wings with a comfortable fit and pivoted on said saddle ona horizontal axis, the other end of said panel being adapted to besupported by the other end frame, the arrangement including spring meansfor resiliently pressing said saddle against said guide rod forfrictionally retarding said sliding movement.

3. A safety side mountable along the side of a bed for vertical movementbetween a raised guard position and a lowered storage position, saidsafety side comprising a side panel, a pair of spaced verticallyextending guide rods adapted to be removably secured to the structure ofthe bed, a saddle at each end of said side panel for interconnecting theadjacent end of said side panel and the adjacent guide rod, each of saidsaddles being of U-shape having a central arch and a pair of spaced,vertically positioned wings, said arch having at least one retrovertedportion defining, together with at least one unretroverted portion ofsaid arch, a formation slidably encompassing the adjacent guide rod forvertical movement therealong, said wings extending away from saidformation in parallel relation to each other to receive said paneltherebetween with a comfortable fit, said panel being pivoted betweensaid wings on a horizontal axis, means for releasably holding each endof said side panel in said raised position, and spring means tending toeffect relative horizontal movement of said panel and said guide rod forretarding the movement of said saddles along said guide rods duringmovement of said side panel between said raised and lowered positions.

4. A safety side in accordance with claim 3 in which each of said archeshas two vertically spaced retroverted portions and each of said springmeans is a leaf spring having upper and lower ears engaged for suppontof said springs by said vertically spaced retroverted arch portions ofsaid saddles, and a central arched portion frictionally engaged with oneof said guide rods.

5. A safety side for a bed having spaced head and foot end frames,comprising a vertical guide rod adapted to be secured to one of saidframes at one corner of the bed, a saddle mounted on said guide rod forvertical movement thereon and having a pair of horizontally spacedvertical wings extending-therefrom, a side panel having one end pivotedon said saddle on a horizontal axis and having at said end a partembraced between said wings with a comfortable fit, the other end ofsaid panel being adapted to be supported by the other end frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

